Turkey to Launch ‘Citizenship Wage’ in 2026: A Structural Reform in Social Welfare

Ankara is preparing to roll out the “Income-Supplementing Family Support System” (GETAD), a revolutionary welfare model designed to guarantee a minimum income for every household. With a pilot launch set for June 2026, the policy aims to eliminate extreme poverty while maintaining incentives for labor participation.

ANKARA – Turkey is set to embark on one of the most significant structural reforms in its social security history. The “Income-Supplementing Family Support System” (GETAD), popularly referred to as the “Citizenship Wage,” is moving from a campaign promise to a legislative reality. Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz recently confirmed that the system will begin its pilot phase in 2026, with a nationwide rollout planned for 2027.

The Mechanism: Fulfilling the “Income Gap”

Unlike a Universal Basic Income (UBI) where every citizen receives a flat monthly payment regardless of status, the Turkish model functions as a Guaranteed Minimum Income.

The state will establish an “income threshold”—likely linked to the national minimum wage or the poverty line. If a household’s total income falls below this threshold, the government will pay the difference to “complete” the family budget.

“This model is essentially designed to support families falling below a specific income threshold,” Vice President Yılmaz stated during parliamentary budget discussions. “Crucially, it is being designed so as not to discourage participation in the labor market.”

Timeline and Implementation

The project, spearheaded by the Ministry of Family and Social Services, follows a phased timeline:

• June 2026: Pilot implementation begins in a select number of provinces.

• Full Year 2026: Technical infrastructure, reporting, and legislative adjustments will be finalized.

• 2027: The system is expected to cover all 81 provinces.

The Economic Magnitude: 1.5 Trillion Lira Question

The primary debate surrounding the policy is its fiscal sustainability. Experts have begun calculating the potential burden on the central budget:

• The Scope: Data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) suggests that approximately 35% of Turkey’s 26.6 million households currently earn less than the minimum wage.

• The Cost: Prof. Aziz Çelik from Kocaeli University estimates that while the cost would have been roughly 586 billion TRY in 2024, by the 2026 launch date, the figure could balloon to 1.5 trillion TRY (approx. $40-45 billion) due to inflation and wage adjustments.

• Budgetary Impact: This would represent an increase of over 5% in the total central government budget. While critics worry about the deficit, proponents like Prof. Çelik argue that reallocating funds from high-interest debt payments could provide the necessary fiscal space.

Expert Analysis: Structural Challenges

While the cash injection is welcomed by many, academics warn that money alone cannot solve the underlying issues of poverty.

Doç. Dr. Emel Memiş from Ankara University highlights that Turkey currently spends only about 13% of its GDP on social protection, significantly lower than the OECD average of 20.1%. “For these programs to be truly effective, they must be integrated with social services like childcare and elderly care,” Memiş told reporters. She noted that without addressing the “care burden” that keeps many women out of the workforce, a simple cash transfer might only provide temporary relief rather than a permanent exit from poverty.

Political Stakes

The Citizenship Wage was a cornerstone of the ruling AKP’s 2023 election manifesto. By moving forward with the plan in 2026, the government aims to improve income distribution “equitably,” according to party officials. As the 2028 presidential elections approach, the success of this “structural reform” will likely be a key metric for voters assessing the government’s economic management.